Madame Tussauds’ Nicki Minaj Wax Work Has People Confused

Madame Tussauds has had its successes and failures with celebrity wax works over the years, and it doesn’t take long to figure out which category the model of Nicki Minaj falls into.

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The tourist attraction makes for a fun day out – I remember being overjoyed at having my picture taken with a Hannah Montana-era Miley Cyrus back in the day – and the museum certainly offers a unique way to see your favourite celebrities up close.

Of course, it helps when the figures actually resemble the celebrities in question so you don’t have to rely on a sign to figure out exactly who they’re meant to be. Unfortunately, even with a sign people are struggling to see how the new addition to Madame Tussauds in Berlin is supposed to resemble Minaj.

The model, which was unveiled in Germany on Tuesday, January 7, was inspired by the singer’s music video for the 2014 song Anaconda and was originally located in a Madame Tussauds museum in Las Vegas. The wax work remained in the US for four years before crossing the pond to Berlin, where it caused quite a stir.

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There were a couple of things the wax work artists got right when creating their version of Minaj – they placed her in a jungle setting as per the Anaconda music video, and they successfully recreated the singer’s outfit, which consisted of a gold chain bra and black hotpants.

Arguably, though, these were the easiest aspects to get right. The success of a wax model really relies on its face, and it’s safe to say the wannabe Minaj is far from recognisable.

Check it out here:

Madame Tussauds wax work of Nicki MinajPA Images

Social media users were quick to criticise the model, with one questioning whether those at the museum had ever actually seen Minaj before.

They wrote:

So I’m no expert, and I had to google pictures to make sure I was right, but has Madame Tussauds actually SEEN Nicki Minaj before?

Another baffled Twitter user commented:

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Madame Tussaud’s Germany is trying to convince the world this is Nicki Minaj Lol

Though fans aren’t very impressed with the creation, the model has actually been approved by Minaj herself. According to sources cited by TMZ, the singer’s team worked with the museum on the project in 2015, and she signed off on it before it went public.

At the time, Minaj posted photos of the wax work and praised the artists who made it, saying she couldn’t wait to see it in person.

While it seems most people won’t be excited by this wax work unless they actually run into Minaj herself while visiting it, at least the singer is happy with the way it turned out!

Emily Brown

Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.